Retirees who get put out to pasture

By Matthew Heimer

It turns out there’s one group of federal employees who can retire after as little as 10 years of service. But before you email your Senator to protest this public-sector sweetheart deal, keep in mind: These are horses.

Sgt. Luisito Brooks/U.S. Army

Omar (left) gets a pre-retirement bath.

U.S. Army Sgt. Luisito Brooks writes this week on the Army’s official website about the horses of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment Caisson platoon. Those horses’ primary job is a solemn one: Bearing the remains of fallen military service members to burial sites at Arlington National Cemetery.

The horses become eligible for retirement once they reach 10 years of service or 17 years of age. A horse’s life expectancy can reach 30 years, so this is a relatively sweet deal – the equivalent of being eligible for Social Security when you turn 45. However, the horses don’t collect pensions (or even monthly shipments of oats) at taxpayer expense—the Army’s retirement program matches the horses with civilians who adopt and care for them.

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About Encore

Encore looks at the changing nature of retirement, from new rules and guidelines for financial security to the shifting identities, needs and priorities of people saving for and living in retirement. Our lead blogger is editor Matthew Heimer, and frequent contributors include editor Amy Hoak, writer Catey Hill, and MarketWatch columnists Elizabeth O’Brien, Robert Powell and Andrea Coombes. Encore also features regular commentary from The Wall Street Journal retirement columnists Glenn Ruffenach and Anne Tergesen and the Director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, Alicia H. Munnell.